My Dear Genie, Where are You?

The moment the Genie appeared before me, my body was trembling with fear; I stood almost like a statue.

My dear Genie, where are you ?

The moment I saw the Genie, I was so thrilled. I had some mixed feelings; my body was trembling; I could feel that I was terribly struggling within me. I looked all around; Even though I realized that I was only on this earth, still I stood almost like a statue for some time.

The Genie looked so beautiful in her white attire.But it did not land on the earth.She was still hanging on at a distance above from the earth waving her beautiful feathers.

‘My dear Ram, it is me. It was you who summoned me.It is my duty to fulfill the wishes of those people who called out me.Your body seems to be trembling.Why? Relax, I am your friend; in a way I am your servant.I am here only to fulfill your wishes.What do you want me to do for you? Come on speak.’

I could hear the low voice of the Genie. Gradually, I returned to normalcy. However, still I have a feeling that I was having some heavenly experience.

‘Can’t you hear me? I will be here only for a few minutes, then I will disappear.You will have such rare chances only once in a blue moon; Now you have got a golden chance.Ask me any three wishes, that you would like to have; I will promise them to you.As soon as I disappear, those wishes will be fulfilled, but my specialty is, people may not doubt you and they will even think that you had all those wishes fulfilled by dint of your hard work. Are you ready to avail your golden chance? Wait… Here are some conditions. Before, asking for those wishes, you should see that your wishes do not have a selfish overtone. It should serve the cause of others.’

I was even more happy on hearing the conditions of Genie. Then I was completely relaxed. ‘Yes, I can follow you. Can I have those wishes of even a very high magnitude?’

‘By all means, my dear!’

Meanwhile my lips got dried. I began to lick my lips.

‘My first wish is: Can you provide a job to my daughter? She has been jobless because of recession, for over a period of three years after finishing her studies.’

‘Yes, she will have; to whatever job she applies for hereafter, she will get selected.OK?’

‘Thank you, very kind of you.’

‘Then, what about the other two wishes?’

‘The next one is …’

‘Why do you hesitate? Come on ask!’

‘We, the Indian people often suffer from terror attacks; Can you do something to prevent those attacks?’

‘Why not? But your wish will remain in force only for a few years, say 5 years.OK, then this wish will become powerless; What is the third wish?’

‘This one is very huge, Can you fulfill it?’

‘First of all tell me about the wish.’

‘Can you solve the Cauvery river dispute that has been haunting Tamil Nadu for over a period of 85 years? Can you do something about it ? Can you offer a permanent solution to this riparian dispute?’

The moment I came forward with such a wish, ‘the Genie disappeared immediately.

‘Genie, where are you? Can’t you hear me? Having granted me two wishes can’t you fulfill my third wish?’

Perhaps I was little bit ambitious; I cursed myself for having asked for such a very sensitive and political wish. I searched for Genie everywhere in vain. “Genie where are you?”